menzies



March 3, 1964 A. R. MENzlEs CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1961CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 28, 1961 March 3, 1964 A. R. MENzlEs3,123,277

CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 28, 1961 AM 5 TAM ggg/E5 d v ,M7/KAvold/E75 March 3, 1964 A. R. MENzlEs CARTONS Filed Aug. 28, 1961 4Sheets-Sheet 4 3,123,277 CARTONS Alastair 1l. Menzies, West Vancouver,British Columbia, Canada, assignento The Canada Rice Mills Limited,Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Filed Aug. 23, 1961, Ser. No.134,470 Claims priority, application Canada June 14, 1961 1 Claim. (Cl.229-61) This invention relates to pre-formed cartons and moreparticularly to an improved carton of the type formed from a singleblank of resilient material having portions adapted to be folded so asto provide a bottom, top, side and end walls.

The object of this invention is to provide novel means for opening thepre-formed carton which when combined with novel structural changes inthe carton wall facilitates the removal of smaller boxes or articleswithin the carton.

The invention is illustrated, by Way of example, in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE l is plan View of a one-piece blank, showing the underside of theblank, from which a tirst type of carton is ultimately formed;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the blank of FIGURE 1 showing the upper sideof the blank from which the first type oi carton is ultimately formed;

FIGURE 3 shows a perspective View of the erected rst type of carton;

FIGURE 4 is a similar View showing the condition of the lirst type oferected carton when opened;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a one-piece blank, showing the underside ofthe blank, from which a second type l carton is ultimately formed;

FlGURE 6 is a plan view of the blank of FIGURE 5 showing the upper sideof the blank from which the second type of carton is ultimately formed;and

FIGURE 7 is a view, similar to FIGURE 4, but showing the condition or"the second type of erected carton when opened.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIG- URES l and 2, theform of one-piece blank shown therein is provided with a plurality ofpanels 1 to 4, hingeably and integrally connected together along firstcommon score lines 13 to 15 The plurality of panels comprises a mainpanel 1 which ultimately serves as a top, secondpanels 2 and 4 whichultimately serve as side Walls and tertiary panel 3 which ultimatelyserves as a bottom.

End aps 5-12 are hingeably and integrally connected to the ends ofpanels 1 to 4 along second common score lines 16 to 23 and ultimatelyserve as inner and outer end walls of the carton. In particular, endilaps 5 and 6 are hingeably and integrally connected at opposite ends oftertiary panel 3 along second common score lines 17 and 16 respectively.End aps 7 and 8 are hingeably and integrally connected at opposite endsof secondary panel 2 along second common score lines 19 and 18respectively. End iiaps 9 and 10 are hingeably and integrally connectedat opposite ends of main panel 1 along third common score lines 21 and20 respectively and end flaps 11 and 12 are hingeably and integrallyconnected at opposite ends of secondary panel 4 along second commonscore lines 23 and 22 respectively.

Main panel 1 includes a double row of continuous slits 34 and 35 on oneface, said face being adapted to form the inner face of the top of thecarton when erected, which defines a tear strip 36 extendingsubstantially from end to end of the said main panel 1. If desired theopposite face of the panel 1 overlying the tear strip 36 may be markedwith a cross-hatched line 38 to give the eect o5 a zipper, sce FlGURE 2.An enlarged portion at one end of the tear strip forms a pull-tap 37(FIGURE 2) 3,123,277 Patented Mar. 3, 19$4 ice to act as a lifter fortearing said tear strip 36 from said main panel 1. Said tear strip 36also divides said main panel 1 into two sub-panels 39 and 4i).

Said third common score lines 2@ and 21, which connect end tlaps 1li and9 respectively to said main panel 1, contains slits 41 and 42 thereinrespectively which are adjacent to and perpendicular to the ends of thetear strip 36.

A carton is formed lfrom the first one-piece blank shown in FIGURES land 2, by bending secondary panel 2 which forms one of the side walls atright angles to tertiary panel 3 which forms the bottom along the iirstcommon score line 13. Main panel 1 which forms the top, is then bent atright angles to the secondary panel 2 along the first common score line14. Now secondary panel 4 which forms the second side wall is bent atright angles to main panel 1 along the irst common score line 15 so thatthe free marginal side edge 32. of secondary panel 4 abuts the freemarginal side edge 33 of tertiary panel 3. These free marginal sideedges are then preferably secured together by a strip of liquid-proofadhesive tape T shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. End flaps 7 and are bent atright angles to side Wall 2 along second common score lines 19 and 18respectively and end flaps 11 and 12 are bent at right angles to sidewall 4 along second common score lines 23 and Z2 respectively so thatend flaps 7 and 11 form one inner end wall and end laps 8 and 12 formthe opposite inner end wall. Bottom end flaps 5 and 6 are then bent atright angles to the bottom 3 along second common score lines 17 and 16respectively and top end flaps` 9 and 10 are bent at right angles to thetop 1 along third common score lines 21 and 2@ so that flaps 5 and 9form one outer end Wall and flaps 6 and 1i) form the opposite outer endwall.

The inner and outer end Walls are secured in face-toface contact withone another in any convenient manner, preferably by the application ofany suitable adhesive.

The erected and filled carton may be opened by lifting the pull-tab 37,shown in FIGURE 3, and pulling it towards the opposite end of the panel1 whereby the tear strip 36 is removed thus tearing top 1 into twosub-portions 39 and 4d. Sub-portions 39, 4t) can then be grasped by thehands and torn back along the third common score lines Ztl and 21, andrespectively folded back along the score lines 14, 15. This operation isfacilitated by the slits 41 and 42 and the condition of the openedcarton is shown in FIGURE 4. The folding back of the subportions 39, 4bfacilitate removal of the smaller boxes or articles within the carton.

It will thus be appreciated that access to the contents of the cartoncan be more readily obtained than in hitherto known cartons, especiallythose containing lsmaller boxes such as cereals, detergents and thelike.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 and 6, the form of onepiece blank showntherein is provided with a plurality of panels 1 to 4, hingeably andintegrally connected together along first common score lines 13 to 15.The plurality of panels comprises a main panel 1 which ultimately servesas a top, secondary panels 2 and 4 which ultimately serve as side wallsand tertiary panel 3 which ultimately serves as a bottom.

End aps S-12 are hingeably and integrally connected to the ends ofpanels 1 to 4 along second common score lines 16 to 23 and ultimatelyserve as inner and outer end walls of the carton. In particular, endllaps 5 and 6 are hingeably and integrally connected at opposite ends oftertiary panel 3 along second common score lines 17 and 16 respectively.End flaps 7 and S are hingeably and integrally connected at oppositeends of secondary panel 2 along second common score lines 19 and 18respectively. End aps 9 and 1li are hingeably and integrally connectedat opposite ends of main panel 1 along third common score lines 21 and20 respectively and end flaps 11 and 1?; are hingeably and integrallyconnected at opposite ends of secondary panel 4 along second commonscore lines 23 and 22 respectively.

Secondary panel 4 includes a fourth score line 25 on one face extendingfrom end to end thereof, said fourth score line 25 dividing the saidpanel 4 ino two sub-panels 25 and 27, as shown in FIGURE 5. The endflaps 11 and 11 associated with secondary panel 4 are the same width assub-panel 27.

Main panel 1 includes a double row of continuous slits 34- and 35 on oneface, said face being adapted to form the inner face of the top of thecarton when erected, which denes a tear strip 36 extending substantiallyfrom end to end of the said main panel 1. If desired the opposite faceof the panel 1 overlying the tear strip 36 may be marked with across-hatched line 33 to give the effect of a zipper, see FXGURE 6. Anenlarged portion at one end of tear strip forms a pull-tab 37 (FGURE 6)to act as a lifter for tearing said tear strip 36 from said mainpanel 1. Said tear strip 36 also divides said main panel into twosub-panels 39 and 40.

Said third common score lines 2@ and 21, which connect end flaps 1t) and9 respectively to said main panel 1, contains slits 4l and 42 thereinrespectively which are adjacent to and perpendicular to the ends of thetear strip 35.

A carton is formed from the second one-piece blank shown in FIGURES 5and 6, by bending secondary panel 2 which forms one of the side walls atright angles to tertiary panel 3 which forms the bottom along the firstcommon score line 13. Main panel 1 which forms the top, is then bent atright angles to the secondary panel 2 along the first common score line14. Now secondary panel 4 which forms the second side wall is bent atright angles to main panel 1 along the rst common score line so that thefree marginal side edge 32 of secondary panel 4 abuts the free marginalside edge 33 of tertiary panel 3. These `free marginal side edges arethen preferably secured together by a strip of liquid-proof adhesivetape T such as that shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. End aps 7 and 8 are bentat right angles to side wall 2 along second common score lines 19 and 1Srespectively and end llaps 1l and 12 are bent at right angles to sidewall 4 along second common score lines 23 and 22 respectively so thatend ilaps 7 and 11 form one inner end wall and end fiaps tl and 12 formthe opposite inner end wall. Bottom end flaps 5 and 6 are then bent atright angles to the bottom 3 along second common score lines 17 and 16respectively and top end flaps 9 and l!) are bent at right angles to thetop 1 along third common score lines 2l and 2t) so that aps 5 and 9 formone outer end wall and flaps 6 and lil form the opposite outer end wall.

The inner and outer end Walls are secured in face-toface contact withone another in any convenient manner, preferably the application of anysuitable adhesive.

The erected and filled carton may be opened by lifting the pull-tab.37?, shown in FIGURE 3, and pulling it towards the opposite end of thepanel l whereby the tear strip 36 is removed thus tearing top 1 into twosub-portions 39 and 4t). Sub-portions 39, 44B can then be grasped by thehands and torn back along the third common score lines 2t) and 21, andrespectively folded back along the score lines 14, 15. This operation isfacilitated by the slits 41 and 42. Now, as will be seen from FIGURE 7,the folding back of sub-portion 40 will also cause subportion 26 tohinge along the fourth score line 25 in order further to facilitateremoval of the smaller boxes or articles within the carton.

I claim:

A pre-formed carton constituted by a plurality of panels articulatedtogether along lirst common score lines, said plurality of panelscomprising a main panel, a pair of secondary panels, and a tertiarypanel respectively forming a top, a pair of side walls and a bottom; endilaps each articulated to an associated end of each of said secondaryand tertiary panels along a second common score line; end flaps eacharticulated to an associated end of each of said secondary and tertiarypanels along a second common score line; end flaps each articulated toan associated end of said main panel along a third common score linecoextensive with said second common score lines, all of said flapforming inner and outer end walls; said top having a double row ofcontinuous slits on the inner face thereof extending normal to saidthird cornmon score lines and from end to end of said top and definingopposed sides of a tear-strip, said double row of continuous slitsterminating, at each end thereof, in slits formed in, and coextensivewith, said third common score lines; one end of said tear-stripterminating in an enlarged portion adapted to form a pull-tab fortearing said tearstrip from said top, all portions of said tear-stripbeing located within the contines of said top and being bounded thereby;and a fourth score line, on the inner face of a selected one of saidside walls, extending from end to end of the latter so as to divide saidselected wall into first and second portions, the width of the end apsof said selected side wall corresponding to the width of said firstportion; whereby, when said pull-tab has been torn from said top, theremaining portions of said top are capable of being grasped and torn,through the intermediary of said slits in said third common score lines,along said third common score lines away from the end aps andarticulated about the rst common score lines forming the marginal sideedges of said top to gain unobstructed access to the interior, and henceto the contents, of the carton, and said second portion of said selectedside wall is capable of articulation along said fourth score line togain further unobstructed access to said interior of the carton.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,218,509 Goodyear Oct. 22, 1940 2,833,404 Jacobs May 6, 1958 2,919,060Daniels Dec. 29, 1959 3,019,944 Nelson et al. Feb. 6, 1962 l 3,097,784Schans July 16, 1963

